Two
by walkingwings
Summary: Scully knows she has to leave but is worried about how much it will affect Mulder. She makes an important decision. This little story revolves around Scully & Mulder 10 years after they first met in 1993. The early 2000s are a very interesting time period to write. This is an x-files story so if I continue writing it, yes, there will probably be FBI cases involved!
**Okay. I haven't been on this website since I was in 8th grade and I decided that I would try it out again. This is my first attempt in a while so please don't judge too harshly. I hope you like this little beginning I** **wrote** **up. I'm hoping this little story will go somewhere.**

The bags are by the door before the sun has the opportunity to go down. Scully doesn't want to look back–but she does. And there he is. Standing there looking so alone and so fragile–more so than she's ever seen him before. It breaks her heart.

"Mulder," she forcefully sighs in a voice she reserves just for him, "I don't want to go. But you know I have to do this. While we're living like this, we're both in danger."

Mulder turns his face away to look out the apartment window, trying to hide the emotions that have been built into him and made to be apart of his system ever since he first laid eyes on Scully. This is the very apartment where everything started between them. The apartment where they laughed and cried together and thought about their futures before giggling about the absurdity of it all. The place where Scully first found the courage to say those words to him–and it felt like breathing.

"You were my whole world, you know that?"

She contemplates this for a few moments, knowing that it isn't true but also knowing that he means it with his entire soul. There are things that he had put before her–understandably–his sister, finding out who killed his parents, and the very thing that simultaneously destroyed and saved his life–what he believed was his true purpose–the x-files.

Looking at him now, Scully finds it hard to breathe. He looks so broken and unlike the young, eager man whom she had met almost 10 years before and adored and protected with her entire life before she even knew something like that could be conjured within her. They were so young and so naive, but that's what made everything so perfectly un-perfect.

"Come here," she calls out to him softy, and he quickly crosses the 20 feet separating them, coming out of his stupor in the process. The obvious hole in this tiny apartment is staggeringly clear to both of them.

Before Scully can begin to form a coherent sentence or thought, she is being crushed against Mulder's body with such force that it takes her back a couple steps, almost knocking her over. His height and weight advantage are all but forgotten as he holds her tightly. Scully can feel the warm tears falling down his face and finding empty space to take up on her own. This is the man she knows. The man so overwhelmed by passion and true feelings.

He pulls back after what seems like a lifetime. "You don't have to go so far away, Scully." He's pleading with her and it hurts her more than she will ever admit to him out loud.

"I–I do." She doesn't believe herself anymore. She doesn't want to leave him. He knows she's pretending just for the sake of feigned sanity between two human beings.

Mulder nods in defeat, wiping at his face as if he has just noticed the fountain of tears there. They've both seen each other break down so many times at this point that he finds in impossible to be embarrassed. Being vulnerable had always been okay between them.

Scully takes a deep breath. "I lo–"

"Don't. If you say that to me, I know what it means. The only time you say that to me is when you think we'll never see each other again." He's angry but she can tell it's not at her-he's angry with himself. He's saying things that aren't true and he knows it. But he's desperate.

Scully wants to say so many things, but she knows if she tries to, she will fall. And she can't fall again. Mulder steps forward a second time, cradling her head in his large, slender hands as he bends down to kiss her just above her left eyebrow. The way he knows she likes. He feels her blush just as she looks up into his hazel eyes and holds his intense stare. It's at this moment Scully knows that she can't leave him alone–that she won't. The most important person in the world is standing right in front of her and she just can't do it again–not after thinking he had been taken from her forever more times than she cares to count. Scully's logical mind knows that finding homes in people is dangerous. But what happened nearly a decade ago wasn't something that could be pushed away.

"We'll figure something out. I promise," Mulder whispers to her gently as Scully finally begins to cry, her head still cradled by his far-too-careful hands. She's happy and scared and every emotion that has no name yet.

"I don't deserve you, Mulder," she hiccups half-jokingly as tears spill down to her plump pink lips. And for a second she looks 24 years old again with not one doubt in the world.

Mulder grins wide–his teeth showing–as he replies, "That makes two of us."


End file.
